A steam generating tool having a cup-shaped steaming mask with an opening is known (see WO 03/103444). Facial skin is covered with the opening side of the mask, and steam is generated in the mask in this state. The steam generating tool opens pores to effectively cleanse the skin. In addition, a medicine or a perfume can be incorporated into steam. Inhalation of such steam moistens the mucous membrane of the throat and the nose and provides relaxation.
Apart from this device, a facial mask fabricated of a fiber capable of generating heat on contact with an aqueous liquid is known (see JP-A-2000-236945). In using the facial mask, skin lotion or a like skincare product is applied to the face beforehand, and the facial mask is then brought into contact with the skin thereby to generate heat. The publication states that skin warmed by the generated heat improves penetrability of the skin lotion, etc.
With the steam generating tool of WO 03/103444, steam can be applied to a desired part of the face simply by covering the skin with the open side of the mask. It is easy to cover a part of the face but not easy to cover the whole face with this steam generating tool because of its cup shape. When a user wants the pores to open all over the face at a time as in makeup removal, it is troublesome to achieve this with such steam generating tool.
Because the facial mask of JP-A-2000-236945 makes use of a hygroscopic exothermic reaction, the heat generation performance is correlated to the amount of water added. That is, heat generation requires the trouble of supplying water beforehand. Besides, in order to obtain desired heat generation performance, water must be supplied in an amount corresponding to the desired amount of heat to be generated. This makes it difficult to obtain stable heat generation performance in actual use.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a heat-generative, steam generation sheet for a face that is free of the above-described problems associated with the conventional techniques.